The Association of Nigerian Private Medical Practitioners (ANPMP) has called for stronger collaboration with the government to improve healthcare delivery and ensure the inclusion of private providers in national health policies.
ANPMP Chairman, Dr Jonathan Esegine, speaking ahead of the association’s yearly General Meeting and Scientific Conference in Lagos, themed “Building Resilient Private Healthcare System in Lagos State: A Driver of Public-Private Collaboration, Economic Stability and Good Governance,” stressed that private practitioners are critical to sustaining healthcare delivery but continue to be sidelined in key reforms.
Esegine noted that Nigeria is not short of ideas but struggles with policy implementation. He urged the government to create an enabling environment for private healthcare facilities to thrive, warning that a weak health system undermines both economic growth and national stability.
“We remain committed to providing care at all times, but the government must recognise our role and give private practitioners the support we need,” he said.
He lamented the tough operating conditions facing private doctors, including insecurity, multiple regulations, inadequate infrastructure, and soaring energy costs, which account for nearly 40 per cent of their operating expenses. These challenges, he said, make it difficult for many practitioners to subsidise care for patients.
Esegine cautioned that Nigeria risks losing its younger medical workforce to brain drain due to poor welfare and an unconducive work environment, leaving older doctors to shoulder the burden of care.
Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Dr Tunji Akintade, reinforced the need for stronger government support and meaningful public-private collaboration. He acknowledged Lagos State’s progress in healthcare investment but warned that other states risk falling behind without improvements in infrastructure and service delivery. Poor health outcomes, he said, weaken national productivity and overall well-being.
Akintade also expressed concern over the growing reliance on traditional medicine and unregulated products, a trend he linked to inadequate investment in modern facilities. While noting that new hospitals are being built, he observed that many are funded by government officials rather than independent private investors.
Highlighting the role of innovation, Akintade said private providers are adopting telemedicine and digital health tools to expand access but called for government subsidies to accelerate adoption. He drew parallels with the telecoms sector, where mobile phone access only became widespread after supportive policies made SIM cards affordable.
He further stressed that private practitioners deliver care to nearly 70 per cent of Nigerians, higher in some states, yet receive minimal support. He argued that healthcare should benefit from incentives once granted to industries, such as tax holidays and import subsidies, to drive grassroots expansion.
Akintade also criticised the government’s dual role as both regulator and fund administrator in health insurance, describing it as a bottleneck that weakens the scheme. He emphasised that ANPMP’s advocacy is not for private gain but to ensure ordinary Nigerians have access to affordable, quality healthcare.
